Ejector locator



May 24, 1966 P. A. HAUCKE 3,252,316

EJECTOR LOCATOR Filed Aug. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

PAUL A. HAUCKE ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

PAUL A. HAUCKE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,252,316 EJECTOR LOCATOR Paul A. Haucke, Railway, N.J., assignor to Buchanan Electrical Products Corporation, Hillside, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 302,138 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-402) This invention relates to crimping tools and more particularly to locators for receiving and positioning contacts in the crimping locations of crimping tools.

Crimping tools of the general type herein of concern incorporate a bored dieholder rigidly mounted in a carrier member, a plurality of radially disposed crimping dies reciprocably mounted therein and an associated operating member having a cammed die member actuating surface mounted for rotative displacement relative to the dieholder and carrier member, as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,063,313.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a locator for crimping tools which provides for ease in positioning the contact in the locator and assures proper alignment of the contact in the crimping location.

This invention'may bebriefly described as a crimping tool including dieholder means having a workpiece receiving bore, dies shif-tably mounted on the dieholder means for advancement and retraction toward and from the axis of the bore, actuating means for advancing and retracting the dies toward and from the axis of the bore and a removable locator detach'ably secured to the tool and having means sized to receive and position a workpiece therein in coaxial alignment with the axis of the bore and in the path of movement of the dies and means for extending the receiving and positioning means through the workpiece receiving bore so that the contact can be easily positioned in the receiving and positioning means.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a crimping tool with a locator according to the present invent-ion mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view, with portions broken away, illustrating the tool at the initiation of a crimping operation;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a locator constructed according to the present invention and having portions shown in cross section and other portions broken away to clearly illustrate the device;

'FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 with the handles shown in the closed position and the locator body portion illustrated in a first or retracted location; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 with the handles in an open position and the locator body portion illustrated in a second or extended location.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, there is shown by Way of illustrative example a manually operable crimping tool which includes a generally disk-shaped dieholder body rigidly 3,252,316 Patented May 24, 1966 the workpiece receiving bore 26. The other side portion 16 of the carrier member 20 is provided with an enlarged locator receiving and positioning aperture 32 disposed in secured, as by bolts 12 and nuts 14 to the generally circular-shaped side portions 16 and 18 of the generally channel or U-shaped carrier member 20. As best shown in FIG. 4, the dieholder 10 is provided .with a conicallyshaped workpiece entry aperture 22 inwardly terminating in an axially disposed workpiece receiving bore 26 as defined by an inwardly directed shoulder 24. Disposed coaxially with and adjacent to the workpiece receiving bore 26 in the dieholder 10 is an enlarged locator member receiving bore 28. The side portion 18 of the carrier member 20 is provided with an enlarged circular workpiece entry aperture 30 disposed in coaxial alignment with coaxial alignment with the axisof the locator receiving and positioning bore 28 in the dieholder 10. As will be explained later in more detail, the locator receiving and positioning aperture 32 in the side portion 16 is provided with a chordal fiat portion 34 in order to automatically assure proper positioning of a complementally shaped locator member introduceable therein. The dieholder 10 is also provided with a plurality of radially disposed die member receiving bores 36 each having a crimping die or plunger member, generally designated 38, reciproca'b'ly mounted therein.

As illustrated a die or plunger member 38 is mounted in each of the radially disposed die member receiving bores 36 and is biased radially outwardly by a suitable biasing spring 52 disposed within the enlarged peripheral recesses 54 in the dieholder body 10 and surrounding the body portion beneath the head portion 42 thereof. Surrounding the dieholder 10 and the die members 38 mounted therein, and rotatably displaceable relative thereto, is the generally angularly shaped cam surfaces containing portion 56 of an operating member generally designated 58. As illustrated, the cam surfaces containing portion 56 of the operating member 58 is provided with a plurality of cam surfaces 60 engaging the outwardly biased carn surface head portions 42 of the individual die members 38. The carn surfaces 60 of the operating member 58 and the cam surfaced head portions 42 of the die members 38 are so designed and arranged that rotative displacement of'the operating member 58 relative to the carrier member 20 and the dieholder 10 rigidly vmounted therein results, for one direction of rotation, in a simultaneous inward displacement of the individual die members 38, against the action of the individual biasing springs 52, and convergence of the crimping teeth thereon toward the longitudinal axis of the bores 26 and 28 and for the other direction of rotation, in a permitted outward displacement of the die members 38 by the biasing springs 52.

As mentioned above, the dieholder or plunger body 10 is provided with an enlarged bore 28 sized to receive and contain a locator generally designated 68.

The structure of the locator 68 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 3. As there shown, the preferred construction includes an elongated cylindrically shaped sleeve portion 70 having an axially disposed bore 72. The sleeve portion 70 terminates at one end in an outwardly extending peripheral flange 74 preferably having a beveled edge.

The flange 74 is of generally circular configuration sized to be contained within the receiving aperture 32 in the side plate 16 and is provided with a complementary chordal positioning flange 76 (see FIG. 4) disposed at a predetermined portion of the periphery thereof and sized to abut the aforementioned chordal fiat 34 forming a portion of the entry aperture 32.

Disposed immediately beneath the external flange is a control surface in the form of an undercut circular recess 78. The lower shoulder 80 of the recess 78 serves to define a lower body portion, generally designated 82 in FIG. 3. The lower body portion 82 is externally shaped .to provide a series of plane stop surfaces 86 and is internally shaped to provide a bore 88 disposed coconvergent advance thereof when the shoulder 46 of the die member 38 engages the flattened plane stop surfaces 86 disposed on either side of and defining the entry portion of. each of the apertures 90.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, reciprocably mounted in the sleeve portion 70 is a body portion 87 having an opening 89 therein sized to receive and position a workpiece in the workpiece receiving bore 26. Extending from one end of the body portion 87 through an opening 91 in the sleeve portion 70 is a plunger handle 93. A spring 95 surrounds the body portion 87 and is adapted to fit into the opening or bore 72 and be retained therein by washer 97 so that when the body portion 87 is positioned in the sleeve 70, the spring maintains the body portion 87 in a first location or position as shown in FIG. 4. In the first or retracted location as illustrated in FIG. 4, a contact positioned in the opening 89 in the opening 89 is readily available for the insertion of a contact therein. As'soon as pressure is released from the plunger handle 93 the spring 95 will cause the body portion to be retracted into .the sleeve 70 thereby positioning the body in its first location with the contact aligned with the crimping dies for crimping.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the lower body portion 82 of the locator member 68 is adapted to be introduced into the locator receiving bore 28 of the dieholder 10. Proper positioning of the locator member 68, and specifically proper positioning of the passages 90 therein relative to the path of advance of the die members 38, is automatically obtained by the disposition of the chordal positioning flat 76 thereon in abutting relation with the complementary fiat 34 forming part of the locator entry aperture 32 in the side portion 16 of the carrier member 20. The depth of the locator insertion is controlled by disposition of the dependent ends of the locator leg portions 92 in abutting engagement with the inner surface of the shoulder 24 defining the terminus of the locator receiving bore 28.

Positional maintenance of a locator member 68 in the locator receiving bore 28 after insertion thereof is facilitated by an auxiliary locator member assembly mounted on the surface of the side portion 16 of the carrier member 20. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the auxiliary retainer assembly includes a forked manually displaceable slide member 96 disposed beneath a bridging retainer 98. The bridging retainer 98 is rigidly secured to side portion 16 of the carrier member 20 by a pair of nuts 12 and bolts 14 that are utilized to secure the dieholder thereto. The displacement of the forked slide 96 is guided and limited by means of a bolt 180 having a shank disposed in a slot 182 in the bridging retainer 98. Preferably the side portion 16 is apertured, as at 106, beneath the bolt 100 to facilitate assembly.

As illustrated, the forked end 104 is shaped to engage and partially encircle the sleeve portion 70 of the locator member 68 and to overlie the extending flange 74 thereof. The retainer assembly is arranged so that the slide 96 may be advanced only when the locator member is properly positioned.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, the operating member 58 is provided with an external handle portion 116. The carrier member 20 is also provided with an extending handle portion'120 of a generally U-shaped configuration. It will be readily understood that relative movement between the handles 116 and 120 toward one another will effect a rotative displacement of the cam containing surface portion 56 relative to the dieholder 10 and carrier member 20 secured thereto and, as described earlier, advancement of the die members toward the bores 26 and 28. Likewise, relative movement of the handles 116 and away from each other permits divergence of the die members 38 by the action of the biasing springs 52. As is conventional with manually operable crimping tools of this general type a full cycling mechanism is provided to insure completion of the operation upon one workpiece before initiation of operation upon a subsequent workpiece. Since the full cycling mechanism forms no part of this invention, it is only partially described below, but full details are set forth in the above identified patent.

A slide member (see FIG. 2) having an extended leg 176 maintained in abutting relation with the control recess 78, engages the full cycling mechanism in order to set the point at which the handles will be released.

By way of further explanation a full operating cycle will be described. In order to set the tool up for operation upon a workpiece, the operator selects a locator that has previously been designed and fabricated in accordance with the workpiece dimensions and crimping to be performed thereon. Such a locator will have the opening 89 in the body portion 87 sized and controlled to accommodate and properly position a contact in .the workpiece receiving bore 26. After selection of the proper locator member, the slide member 96 is retracted to expose the locator receiving aperture 32 in the side portion 16 of the carrier member 20 and the slide 170 is displaced against the action of a biasing spring to retract the end of the leg 176 from overlying the bore 28. With the above parts so positioned, the lower body portion 82 of the locator 68 is inserted into the locator bore and properly positioned by disposition of the chordal flat 76 in abutting relation with the chordal flat 34. With the locator 68 so positioned the slide 170 is released and a biasing spring moves the leg 176 into abutting engagement with the central surface 78 of the locator. The locator retainer slide member 96 is then displaced so as to place the forked end 104 thereof in encircling engagement with the sleeve portion 70 of the locator 68. Plunger handle 93 is then depressed ejecting the body portion 87 through the workpiece receiving bore with the entrance to the opening 89 extending past the side portion 18 of the handle. A contact is then inserted in the opening 89 and the plunger handle 93 released so that the body portion 87 is retracted into the sleeve 70 thereby aligning the loaded contact with the crimping dies 38.

Convergent displacement of the handles 116 and 120 results in convergence of the die members 38 on the contact thereby performing the crimping operation. The handles are then released and the dies retracted to their initial position. The crimped contact is then removed from the locator 68.

It will be understood that the above detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention are provided by way of example only and are not intended to restrict the invention. Certain details of design and construction may be varied without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a crimping tool having:

(a) dieholder means having a workpiece receiving bore;

(b) dies shiftably mounted on said dieholder means for advancement and retraction toward and from the axis of said bore;

(c) actuating means for advancing and retracting said dies toward and from said axis of the bore, the improvement comprising;

((1) a removable locator detachably secured to said tool in predetermined relation to said dieholder I means, said locator having;

(1) means sized for receiving and positioning a workpiece therein in coaxial alignment with the axis of said bore and in the path of movement of said dies; and

(2) means for extending said receiving and positioning means through said workpiece receiving bore so that a contact can be easily positioned in said receiving and positioning means.

2. In combination with a crimping tool including:

(a) dieholder means having a workpiece receiving bore;

(b) dies shiftably mounted on said dieholder means for advancement and retraction toward and from the axis of said bore;

(c) actuating means for advancing and retracting said dies toward and from the axis of said bore, the improvement comprising;

(d) a control locator detachably secured to said tool in alignment with said bore and having;

(1) a body portion in a first position sized to receive and position a workpiece in said bore for crimping;

(2) first means for extending said body portion to a second location through said workpiece receiving bore so that a contact can be easily positioned in said body portion; and

(3) second means for causing said body portion to return to its first location when said first means is released.

3. In combination with a crimping tool including:

(a) dieholder means having a workpiece receiving bore;

(b) dies shiftably mounted on said dieholder means for advancement and retraction toward and from the axis of said bore;

(c) actuating means for advancing and retracting said dies toward and from the axis of said bore, the improvement comprising;

(d) a control locator having;

(1) a sleeve member detachably secured to said tool; and

(2) a body portion, having an opening therein, reciprocably mounted in said sleeve portion for movement between a first and a second loca- 6 tion, the body portion in said second locatio extending through the workpiece receiving bore so that a contact can be easily positioned in said opening, the body portion in said first location being positioned within said sleeve such that a contact supported by said body portion will be positioned in said bore.

4. In combination with a crimping tool including:

(a) dieholder means having a workpiece receiving bore;

(b) dies shiftably mounted on said dieholder means for advancement and retraction toward and from the axis of said bore, each said die having a shoulder facing said axis;

(c) actuating means for advancing and retracting said dies toward and from said axis, the improvement comprising;

(d) a removable locator detachably secured .to said tool in predetermined relation to said dieholder means, said locator having;

(1) means sized for receiving and positioning a workpiece therein in coaxial alignment with the axis of said bore and in the path of movement of said dies;

(2) an abutment surface in predetermined spaced relation to the axis of said bore and positioned to engage said shoulders and on such engagement terminate the advancing movement of said dies at the proper crimp depth for the given size workpiece; and

(3) means for extending said receiving and positioning means through said workpiece receiving bore so that a contact can be easily positioned in said receiving and positioning means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,000 4/1960 Wood 81313 3,028,776 4/1962 Keller et a1. 3,063,313 11/1962 Ustin.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON s. MEHR, Examiner.

M. BALAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CRIMPING TOOL HAVING: (A) DIEHOLDER MEANS HAVING A WORKPIECE RECEIVING BORE; (B) DIES SHIFTABLE MOUNTED ON SAID DIEHOLDER MEANS FOR ADVANCEMENT AND RETRACTION TOWARD AND FROM THE AXIS OF SAID BORE; (C) ACTUATING MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID RETRACTING SAID DIES TOWARD AND FROM SAID AXIS OF THE BORE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING; (D) A REMOVABLY LOCATOR DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID TOOL IN PREDETERMINED RELATION TO SAID DIEHOLDER MEANS, SAID LOCATOR HAVING; (1) MEANS SIZED FOR RECEIVING AND POSITIONING A WORKPIECE THEREIN IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF SAID BORE AND IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID DIES; AND (2) MEANS FOR EXTENDING SAID RECEIVING AND POSITIONING MEANS THROUGH SAID WORKPIECE RECEIVING BORE SO THAT A CONTACT CAN BE EASILY POSITIONED IN SAID RECEIVING AND POSITIONING MEANS. 